Attymass Civil Parish and the Incidence of the Brennan Surname in Griffith's Valuation
There were no Brennans documented in Attymass Civil Parish when the Griffith's Valuation was conducted in 1856.
Attymass Civil Parish falls within Gallen Barony and is part of Attymass Roman Catholic Parish. When the Griffith's Valuation was conducted, there was one Roman Catholic Chapel that was fairly centrally located in the Townland of Kilgellia and only one Graveyard in the Townland of Bunnafinglas. The available Catholic Church records don't begin until 1874 and cover a very narrow date range (only to 1880). This was a relatively small Civil Parish with only 21 Townlands.
John Bingham applied for and obtained a patent to hold fairs in the Townland of Bunsinglass (listed as Bunnafinglas in Griffith's) as early as 1701. (Gillespie; Crawford, 1987, p. 86). When the Statistical Survey of County Mayo was conducted in 1802, Bunfinglafs (sic) was listed as having fairs on May 24, July 7, November 15 and December 15. (McParlan, 1802; 2007, p. 47-51). When the Griffith's Valuation was conducted there was a "Customs of Fairs" documented in the Townland of Bunnafinglas that sits on the River Moy. Other Townlands with items of commercial interest were Ardrass and Ballymore each with a Pound, Ballycong with two Tuckmills and Corrower with one Tuck Mill. The Townland of Mullaghawny had an Orchard, Corn Mill, Kiln and Forge, and Coradrishy had a Pound, Corn Mill and a Kiln. There was also a Herd's House in the Townland of Coradrishy and Farmhouses in the Townlands of Boyhollagh, Bunnafinglas and Derrynabaunshy. (Griffith, 1847-1864; 2003, Attymass).
As far as education goes, there was only one Schoolhouse noted in the Griffith's Valuation, in the Townland of Corrower. In addition to this, "A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland" described three Hedge Schools as well. (Lewis, 1837; 1984, p. 92)
The Griffith's Valuation noted numerous lakes dotting this Civil Parish, and "Bog" Parcels in the Townlands of Corrower and Mullaghawny. (Griffith, 1847-1864; 2003, Attymass). Samuel Lewis described Attymass as having "large tracts of wasteland, which are chiefly irreclaimable bog and mountain." (Lewis, 1837; 1984, p. 91).
There were a wide variety of landlords represented in Attymass Civil Parish, and the Townlands were fairly evenly distributed with no landlords dominating more than 2 or 3 Townlands. Hugh Brabazon was only dominant in one Townland, Roosky; and John Orme in Corradrishy, but these were two of the larger Townlands in the parish. Sir John Steele Bt, Elizabeth Cistis and Patrick C Hawley were dominant in three Townlands each, and Frances Lindsay, George Henry Moore and Edward Orme were represented in two.
The population of Attymass Civil Parish declined significantly during and after the peak famine years like many other Civil Parishes in County Mayo. In 1841, the population was 3,435, dropping to 2,431 in 1851. By the year 1911, there were on 2,077 people living in this area. Even more significant than these declines, by the year 1979 there were only 832 people living in Attymass Civil Parish, now that is a staggering drop from 3,435. (O'Hara, 1982, p. 7).